Lawn edge trimmer



April l, 1941. R, A THOMPSON 2,236,955

LAWN EDGE TRIMMER Filed Feb. 24, 1940 gmc/Wto@ Patented Apr. l, 1941 lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDGE TRIMMER Robert A. Thompson, "Pampa, Tex.

.Application February 24, 19:40, SerialzNo. 320,67 0

4 Claims.

This .invention relates generally to the .class of cutting implements .and pertains particularly to animproved `for-moi llawn edge trimmer.

The .present invention .has for its primary object to provide .a novel lawn edge trimmer which is so designed .that it may be effectively employed for .cutting .grass :along an edge bordering .a wal-k or driveway without requiring the operator to stoop over, thereby making it possible to perform such trimming operation without undue strain upon the operators back.

A further yobjectof the invention is to provide a lawn edge trimmer employing a pair o'f relatively movable cutting .blades ktirgether with :a

control handle connected therewith wherein a means is .employed for maintaining :such :cutting blades in a suitable working relation with the edge of an adjacent walk or curbing -so that the lower one of .the 4blades will ynot be vcaused to penetrate too deeply into the turf and thereby interfere with the easy working-of fthe device, and

whereby va. support or fulcrum is .provided which assists the operator in working the cutter when it becomes'necessary to apply an extreme amount of force for the actuation of the blades.

A still .further object of the :invention is to provide in a :lawn edge trimmer rof fthe Acharacter stated, novel means associated with vone vlof v5two relatively movable cutting blades -for fiorm'ing a channel `or .groove in the `sod behind the cutter for the reception of a movable Apart oi the ldevice whereby such movable partis permitted to function easily .and without interference from underlying grass or sod.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specication, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be coni-ined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modied so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the trimming device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on lthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan of the blank for the xed blade and attached parts.

Fig. 4 is a, view in plan of .the movable blade.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I generally designates what 'will be .reterred .to as the :xed Vor .lower blade of the 4trimmer While the numeral 2 designates the upper or movable blade. The blades :of the present device vare disposed .to work in a vertical plane andthe Ylower :or fixed Iblade, when .in working .p0- sition, has its sharpened for -cutting edge 3 directed upwardly.

The lower blade I .comprises the elongated body portion l tapered to form the point 15 ,at the front .end while :at its rear :end it is -.provided with the guide bracket 6, which forms an integral part of the metal piece `from which the blade is vshaped v.and which extends laterally from the ftop edge of such piece. 11n other words, the guide bracket 6 .extends laterally from the rear end ofthe sharpened edge of fthe blade. Directly `beneath the portion .of the blade to which the lateral guide '-.br-acket 6 isconnected is a downwardily .extending ear I which -functions as a groove or channel former, for the purpose hereinafter stated, `and-.on substantially the longitudinal center o .the `blade lbody 4 there is formed a bolt or lrivet aperture `il.

`integrally `formed with ythe vblade 4 .is the socket 9 ywhich initially `constitutes a hat sheet of ma.- terial which is subsequently rolled to form the ysocket in which `received lone end of a wooden handle liIIJ. '-llhe :socket vis rangled to extend .obliquely 4of the longitudinal center of the fixed 'blade and fupwardly therefrom so that 4the handle IIl extends fupwardly .and rearwardly as i1- lustrated, at fan angle which is convenient to 4en- .able aperson :to operate the .trimmer while standing erect.

The movable blade 2 is of substantially the same form as the xed blade I and consists of the elongated at body II which is tapered to a point I2 at its forward end and which adjacent its rear end has an aperture I3 which alines with the aperture 8 of the xed blade to receive a rivet or pivot bolt I4. Extending integrally from the rear end of the movable blade II is a downwardly curved arm I5 terminating in an eye IB at its free end. The heads of the connecting rivet I4 are countersunk in the adjacent blades so that they will not pick up blades of grass or other material.

Adjacent the upper or free end of the handle I0 there is pivotally attached the auxiliary handle I1 and connecting this auxiliary handle with the arm or lever I5 is a stili wire or cable I8 which passes through suitable guide eyes I9 carried by the handle I0. A contractile spring 20 connects the auxiliary handle II adjacent itsv pivoted end with the handle Ill forwardly of the pivot for the handle I1 and constantly urges the handle II in a direction to shift the movable blade 2 into opened position with respect to the fixed blade l.

The forward edge of the nat guide bracket 6 is beveled or sharpened slightly at 2|, so that this edge will function to pass under and break up ends of grass which have grown over the edge and onto the top of the walk or curb along which the'guide bracket may be moving. i,

In the use of the present implement, thel guide bracket 6 extends laterally over the top of the walk or curbing at the edge thereof while the ,5

, 'lower blade l positions between such walk edge f and the turf.

The ear 'I extends downwardly 15 into the turf and as the cutting implement is moved along the edge of the walk vv'hile"oper ating the blade 2 to cut thegrass incorijunction I with the fixed blade I, the guide bracket servesA as a steadying and guide means for thecutter and it also serves to pass under and pull loose any blades of grass or rother growth which may have adhered to the surface of the walk. The ear 'I forms a channel or groove in the turf which permits the free swinging movement of thev ac- -tuating lever or arm l5 so that this arm will not be interfered with in its movements. As will be readily understood, the blade 2 is controlled by oscillation of ,the auxiliary handle lx1 so as to impart the necessary movements to the arm 30 I5 through the stiii cableor rod I3.

What is claimed is: v,

l. An edge trimmer of the character stated, comprising a pair of cutting blades arranged in crossed relation and coupled together for'rela-gg, tive oscillation on a horizontal axis, a handle, means for attachingV said handle at one end to one of said blades whereby the said one blade is xed with respect to the handle, means carried by the handle and coupled with lthe lother bladeren() for imparting movement thereto relative to the fixed blade, and a plate comprising a lateral continuation of the top edge of said fixed blade adjacent the rear end of the same ,and function'- ing as a walk engaging guidel bracket for the;

implement.

2. A lawn edge trimmer,

comprising two rela- ,tively long iiat blades each having a pointed forward end and a relatively wide rear end, said blades when in use having their at sidesiver- 50 tically disposed and lhaving their rear ends in side by side vcrossed relation, pivotal means between said rear ends whereby `the blades Vmay connection between said lever and said auxiliary 2,236,955 i ,n :f

move relatively on a horizontal axis, one of said blades having an integral upwardly and rearwardly extending socket, a handle having an end secured in said socket whereby the said one of the blades becomes iixed with respect to the handle, the other one of the blades being movable relative to the fixed blade, a lever arm extending rearwardly and downwardly from the movable blade, an auxiliary handle pivotally attached to thexed handle, and a sti operating handle whereby movement may be imparted to the movable blade.

3. A lawn trimmer, comprising a kpair of relatively long blades disposed in side by side relation and having crossed rear end portions, a pivotal connection between said rear end portions 'whereby one blade has pivotal movement on a .horizontal axis relative to the other blade, 'a handle connected at one end to the said other blade: and extending upwardly therefrom, means carried by the handle and operatively coupled with the movable blade for imparting movement thereto on saidr pivotal connection, a guide bracket carried by and extending laterally from the said vother blade for engagement with the -topy edge of an adjacent walk and said guide bracket having a forward beveled edge.

4. A lawn edge trimmer, comprising two relatively long flat blades each having a pointed forward end and a relatively wide rear end, said blades when in use having their flat sides vertically disposed and having their rear ends in side by side crossed relation, pivotal means between said rear ends whereby the blades may move relatively on a horizontal axis, one of said blades having anintegral upwardly and rearwardly extending socket, a handle having an end secured in said socketwhereby the said one of the blades becomes fixed with respect to the handle, the other one of the blades being movable relative to the xed blade, a lever arm extending rearwardly anddownwardly from the movable blade, an auxiliary handle pivotally at tached to the `iixed handle, a stiff operating connection between said lever and said auxiliary handle whereby movement may be imparted to Athe movable blade, and an earth penetrating ear integral with and extending downwardly from ,in advance of said lever arm.

ROBERT A. THOMPSON. 

